4.3 Belonging and contributing

1.2
listen and respond to others, both verbally and non-verbally (e.g., using the arts, using signs, using gestures and body language), for a variety of purposes (e.g., to exchange ideas, express feelings, offer opinions) and in a variety of contexts (e.g., after read-alouds and shared reading or writing experiences; while solving a class math problem; in imaginary or exploratory play; in the learning areas; while engaged in games and outdoor play; while making scientific observations of plants and animals outdoors)

Saying
“I saw Aiden add the block, and now it made it even taller.”
“I am asking Manny to teach me his language. I heard him talk to his nana.”
“We asked Sean how to use these, and he showed us how because he plays with them all the time.”

Doing
The educators decide to document how often children physically (as a form of non-verbal communication) make adjustments to encourage belonging and contributing to communication. They observe children moving closer, leaving space, stopping their play and looking up, raising an eyebrow, smiling, moving away, and/or inviting children in with a hand wave.

Representing
A small group of children decide to document non-verbal communication through photographs. Another group of children wonder what would happen if we couldn’t use language to communicate.

Responding
The educators plan to observe children, giving them more time to communicate their thinking, both verbally and non-verbally. They use strategies such as waiting for the child to speak first while silently counting to a certain number before saying anything (wait time). They communicate to the children that they are trying to listen more and listen differently, and to give the children more time to communicate their thinking.

Challenging
The educators begin to observe children in all contexts, with a focus on watching their non-verbal communication. They document (in photos) the multiple ways that children/people communicate and notice and name things like body language and gestures. To provoke further discussion, they add photos of American Sign Language (ASL) to the photos of children’s non-verbal communication.

Extending
Over time, the educators revisit their pedagogical documentation, including their videos and photographs, talking with the children about all the different ways people communicate their thinking and learning. The evidence from their documentation of both verbal and non-verbal communication (evidence gathered to support assessment for learning) informs how they respond to the children.

As the documentation is shared with the children, the children use new gestures and talk (in many cases) about what they were thinking at the time the learning was taking place. This interaction serves as assessment for learning. It also serves as a form of assessment as learning, supporting the children’s metacognition (learning about their own learning) when the children and educators talk about how they are learning and what helps them to learn.

3.1
act and talk with peers and adults by expressing and accepting positive messages (e.g., use an appropriate tone of voice and gestures; give compliments; give and accept constructive criticism)

Saying
“Fatima helped me pick up the blocks.”
“We moved over so she could see the pictures.”
“You can help us, but this time be careful you don’t knock them over.”
“That’s all right, you can go first.”
“Can you help us find another way to make this?”

Doing
One of the children finds her friend’s name card in the basket and hands it to her as she arrives in the room.

Representing
Following a session on expressing and accepting positive messages, several parents report that their children are using this skill at home with siblings and extended family members.

Responding
The educators observe that children in the blocks area are taking blocks from a structure that other children are building. The educators decide to model some strategies for the children on cooperating with others. They also decide to notice and name positive strategies used by the children (e.g., “I noticed you listening to Jay’s suggestions for building your tower”) in order to support the building of good relationships among the children.

Challenging
While reading a book aloud, an educator poses the following questions: “Why is the main character in the story scared? I noticed that he was worried that he wasn’t going to have any friends if people knew he was afraid of going down the slide. Have you ever felt the way this character does? How would you feel? What did his friends do to make him feel better?”

Extending
The educators notice that the children’s relationships are becoming more cooperative and collaborative. They begin to think and reflect on their feedback and conversations with the children. After analysing their pedagogical documentation, they notice that the children are contributing to each other’s learning in various ways. Using their assessment for learning, they now decide that the time is right to model ways in which children can offer and accept feedback from both the educators and the other children (e.g., “I like that you made the base of your tower so broad. What made you decide to do that?”).

4.1
use a variety of strategies to solve problems, including problems arising in social situations (e.g., trial and error, checking and guessing, cross-checking – looking ahead and back to find material to add or remove)

Saying
“I wanted to help, and this time I remembered to ask first.”
“The snack sign says, ‘Three apple slices’, but I took four.”
“I tried to fit them all on the shelf, but they wouldn’t fit. Then I had to start all over again, and then Sasha came to help me.”

Doing
A group of children are working with paints. One of the children accidentally splashes paint on another child. Another child asks an educator for help when that child begins to cry.

Representing
After listening to a story where the main character gets into all sorts of trouble, sometimes by not being honest, some of the children decide to write a letter to the character, with suggestions for what he could have done instead.

Responding
An educator makes an observation note on a conversation with a child about how she could go back and try again to enter the group in order to help.

Challenging
The educators reflect after revisiting some of their pedagogical documentation. They begin to question the frequency and the timing of their interventions in children’s social challenges. Using their pedagogical documentation as evidence, they decide to try to give children more “space” to attempt to solve daily social challenges. They believe children are competent and capable but recognize that their (the educators’) practices may not always reflect this belief. As they consciously practise a more trusting approach, they immediately notice that children are using social strategies independently and in unexpected ways. The educators observe children's strategies for including others, and how they acknowledge or know about group members’ contributions even if there are no words spoken. The educators share their thinking and observations with the children.

Extending
The educators encourage children to go to others in the class for help not only with their zippers and buttons but also with other classroom challenges, such as taking a picture with the new tablet device or opening juice boxes at the snack table. They acknowledge every child as being able to help others with something as the children's needs and abilities change from day to day.

5.1
demonstrate respect and consideration for individual differences and alternative points of view (e.g., help a friend who speaks another language; adapt behaviour to accommodate a classmate’s ideas)

Saying
“I agree with …”
“That is just like when I …”
“OK, we could try it that way.”

Doing
With their reading buddies, the children read books about different kinds of families and show respect for and acceptance of children who identify with families that look different from their own.

Representing
A child sketches the steps in getting ready to go home for the day, to help a new child who is learning ASL.

Responding
“I notice that you listened to Dana’s idea about how to make your tower more stable.”
“I know you were upset when Karl splashed paint on your picture. How do you think Karl is feeling about what happened?”

Challenging
The educators observe a group of children debating about what they should build with the blocks. One of the educators scaffolds the children’s learning by prompting their thinking and encouraging respect for each child's suggestion: “Everyone has a good suggestion about what to build with the blocks. How are you going to decide what to build?”

Extending
The educators observe the children to determine the specific contexts in which the children demonstrate consideration of other points of view. They analyse their pedagogical documentation and assess for learning. They also talk about the impact and importance of multiple perspectives. They then consider areas where the learning needs to be extended and plan to build “name”, “notice”, “accept”, and “prompt” into their learning plans.

5.2
talk about events and retell, dramatize, or represent stories or experiences that reflect their own heritage and cultural background and the heritage and cultural backgrounds of others (e.g., traditions, cultural events, myths, Canadian symbols, everyday experiences)

Saying
“That is my language.”
“My family …”
“My mama told me …”

Doing
In the dramatic play area, children role-play various events from their experiences.

Representing
A child brings in a dual-language book he borrowed from the library to show his class a story in his language.

Responding
An educator invites children’s family members into the classroom to share stories of important family events, and then invites the children to talk about those events.

Challenging
An educator observes a child writing about her family picnic. The educator supports the child by “stretching out” the words to help the child hear all the sounds in the words the child is trying to write.
An educator takes a photograph of an intricate structure with many levels, connections, and forms. The educators share the photograph with the family of the child who built the structure. The family explains that this represents the story of an eagle that the Elders tell. The educators invite an Elder to the classroom to share the story with the children.

Extending
An educator places books in the blocks area that illustrate homes and structures from around the world (making sure that the images do not represent stereotypes).

22.1
communicate their ideas about something (e.g., a book, the meaning of a word, an event or an experience, a mathematical pattern, a motion or movement) through music, drama, dance, and/or the visual arts

Saying
“That poem has a pattern in it. I can clap the pattern while you say the words.”
(Child shows a drawing): “I drawed how rainbows are made.”

Doing
When trying to show the motion of a kite flying, the child stands up and throws her hands in the air and says, “Whoooosh”.

Representing
A family member shares that one of the children sings songs learned in the classroom to his baby sister, and she falls asleep every time.

Responding
An educator plays a song for the children and says, “The song says getting together makes people happy. Does getting together make you feel happy? Why?”

Challenging
The educators show the children a series of paintings and keep the paintings on display for a period of time. They listen to and record the children’s conversations about the paintings.

Extending
The educators revisit the documentation of the conversations about the paintings with the children and talk about and build on each other’s thinking.

25.1
recognize personal interests, strengths, and accomplishments

Saying
“I can throat sing.”
“I helped my dads set the table.”
“People know that I can help them figure out the letters because I know how to write.”
“You can find me in the blocks because that is where I always like to play.”

Doing
After learning how to do up her own zipper, a child offers to help other children with the zippers on their coats.

Representing
After completing a drawing of her family, a child exclaims, “I made a picture to put up in our [class] art gallery. It took me so long, but I wanted to make my whole family.”
A child shares his growing ability to make his name. He points to an older representation and says “I used to make it like that.” Then, showing the representation he had just completed, notes, “Now I can make it like this with the ‘E’ like this ‘e’.”

Responding
An educator notices and names a child’s strengths and accomplishments:
“You were really thinking about how to make your structure stable.”
“You learned to do up your coat, which was so hard for you to do before.”
“You made a space for Devi to join you.”

Challenging
A group of children use five cubes to see how many different number stories they can make for the number “5”. An educator invites the children to share their number stories with another group of children.

Extending
The educator then increases the number of cubes and asks the children to create number stories for the new number.

25.2
identify and talk about their own interests and preferences

Saying
“On the weekend, we went to see the reptiles at the zoo. I can tell everyone what I learned about the snakes ’cause they are my favourite.”
“I like spaghetti better than pizza. I put that on the class graph.”
“Can you help me find some stories about bugs?”

Doing
One child decides to share what she knows about snakes by creating a slide show with the help of her reading buddy.

Representing
After talking and thinking about different kinds of buildings in their school community, a group of children create a replica of one building with the blocks over several days.

Responding
The educators observe the children talking about the things they like, such as animals, foods, and pastimes. They document the responses for use in future planning.

Challenging
The educators ask the children what changes they would like to make in the dramatic play area.

Extending
An educator works with a few children in a small group to make a list of the materials they need in order to change the dramatic play area, and then works with another small group of children to gather and set up the new materials.

25.3
express their thoughts (e.g., about a science discovery, about something they have made) and share experiences (e.g., experiences at home, cultural experiences)

Saying
“I think that …”
“Look what I did. I …”
“In my family we …”
“I know how many there is – there’s five. I counted them.”
“I think that ends like my name. It makes the same sound.”

Doing
After hearing a story, a group of children retell and dramatize the story using props at the sand table. They negotiate space and materials without talking with one another. They innovate on the story by using a different ending from the one in the familiar read-aloud they have just heard.
A group of children and an educator are looking at the front cover of a book showing a young boy drinking from a hollowed-out gourd he has used to dip water from a river. The children wonder why he isn’t drinking from a tap or a fountain. This leads to further conversations and reading.

Representing
A group of children tell and then show the class how they predicted and then discovered how to move water between two containers by using a tube.

Responding
An educator observes children engaged in an inquiry at the water table, and asks them questions such as:
“What did you notice about the way the water moved?”
“What did you notice when you changed the size of the container?”
“How did you work together as a team on your inquiry?”

Challenging
An educator supports children to think more deeply about their inquiries by asking questions such as:
“What do you think will happen when …?”
“What happened before and what happened after you …?”

Extending
The educators videotape children in a small group talking about a book they have just read. After viewing the video and analysing the information gathered, they determine that they need to extend the children’s ability to reflect on their experiences and to present events, including their role in those events, in proper sequence. They project possibilities before revisiting the documentation with the children to invite their ideas.

26.1
understand that everyone belongs to a group/community (e.g., a family, a class, a religious community) and that people can belong to more than one group/community at a time

26.2
understand that different groups/communities may have different ways of being and working together

26.3
describe, both verbally and non-verbally, ways in which they contribute to the various groups to which they belong

Saying
“Last night we had a family meeting. Everyone got to say what they wanted to do, even me and my little sister.”
“At home I help take care of my baby sister. At school, I like to help tidy up the blocks.”
“On Mondays I go to gymnastics. On Tuesdays I go to Hebrew school. On Fridays my bubbe and zaydee come for dinner.”
“At home we eat dinner together at the table. But at Grandma’s we get to eat in front of the TV.”

Doing
After talking about the family meeting that took place at a child’s home, the educators observe the child suggesting to other children that they have a “family meeting” in the dramatic play area, to solve a dilemma that arose in their play.

Representing
After performing at a children’s pow-wow on the weekend, a young child draws a picture of himself in his native regalia. He asks the educator for help in printing his story about his part in the traditional event.

Responding
“Why is it important for adults to ask children for your thoughts and ideas about things?”
“What are some other groups to which children in our class belong?”
“Why do you think we do things differently at school than you do at home?”

Challenging
The educators decide to discuss with the children the concept of multiple perspectives on the same idea. They use spatial reasoning in mathematics to prompt the children to explore the concept. For example, the educators show the children an arrangement of cubes that would look different from multiple perspectives (side view, front view, back view). The children describe the quantity and the arrangement they can see from their viewpoint. The educators turn the figure and repeat the process. This begins a lengthy inquiry about point of view and multiple perspectives in groups, in space, of characters in read-alouds, and even in daily routines and transitions.

See Chapter 4.5, OEs 16 and 17
See “Paying Attention to Spatial Reasoning, K–12: Support Document for Paying Attention to Mathematics Education”.

Extending
The educators are concerned that one of the children is not offering ideas verbally, or what they describe as “participating in the class”. As they revisit documentation and look at the non-verbal contributions, they see that the child’s representations reflect a deep connection to classroom conversations and ideas. The educators observe that not only is the child engaging in learning, he is one of the most engaged learners in the class. They begin to have professional conversations about the difference between participation and engagement.

See “Kindergarten Matters: Re-imagining Literacy and Mathematics Throughout the Day” – the clips “Revisiting Pedagogical Documentation” and “Studying Co-constructed Negotiated Learning: Spiral Story”.

27.1
develop strategies for standing up for themselves, and demonstrate the ability to apply behaviours that enhance their personal well-being, comfort, and self-acceptance and the well-being, comfort, and self-acceptance of others (e.g., speaking confidently, stating boundaries, making choices)

See the Professional Learning Conversation following the chart.

Saying
“We were already doing that with the cubes, so please listen.”
“That was mean.”
“I like to dress up this way.”
“I tried to tell them to stop, but they just kept saying it. Can you help me?”
“I don’t need help now. I can do this myself.”

Doing
Children notice that only the boys are playing in the blocks area. They begin a discussion asking why only boys can play in the blocks area. One of the boys invites girls to play and says it is okay for girls to build in the blocks area because, “My mom fixes things all the time.”
One of the children spends much of his time lining materials up in rows. He carefully lines up cars and blocks, and some children comment that it would upset him if they moved the cars. Other children say “We were just trying to play with him.” One day a child says, “We figured out how to play with [Mark]. Instead of touching the cars, we play with him by circling around him and playing alongside him.”

Representing
A small group of children are listening to a CD by a children’s recording artist. One of the children notices that the words to one of the songs are about the importance of being who you are and of accepting others for who they are. With the help of the educator, the children plan to play the song for the rest of the class and to discuss what it means to accept others for who they are.

Responding
The educators notice and listen carefully to children’s concerns.
The educators begin to observe and document children’s ways of being and knowing. They begin to observe children who are quiet and to document the contributions they make in multiple ways through their actions and representations.

Challenging
The educators have numerous conversations about honouring the histories, cultures, languages, traditions, child-rearing practices, and lifestyle choices of families. They analyse their conversations with the children, their observations of the children, and their pedagogical documentation. They reflect on their past practices and decide to share their documentation with the children to show all the many ways children demonstrate their acceptance of one another.

Extending
Several children work in small groups while one child shares her inquiry into what would happen if she put coloured transparencies over a set of flashlights. Several children begin to contribute ideas and manipulate the materials, which include scissors and tape. An educator engages briefly with the group but soon decides to leave the children to negotiate their own process.
The following link illustrates the preceding example, showing the children’s thinking and contributions, how they navigate in the specific social situation, and how they stand up for their ideas:

Video title: “Self-Regulation” – see the clip “Rethinking and repeating supporting self-regulation – one educator team's reflection".

27.2
think critically about fair/unfair and biased behaviour towards both themselves and others, and act with compassion and kindness

27.3
recognize discriminatory and inequitable practices and behaviours and respond appropriately

Saying
“That’s not fair!”
“I am not a writer, I am a boy.” Another child says, “That’s not true. I am a boy, and look at my writing.”
“I get to move because it helps me feel calm to move around when we are at the carpet.”
“How come all the people in our construction sets are boys?”
“Jordan took my snack.” “I did not!”

Doing
One of the children in the class uses a wheelchair. Some of the children rearrange the furniture in the dramatic play area so that she can join in their play.

Representing
With the help of an educator, one of the children composes a letter to the construction set company to ask why the workers are all men.
One of the children creates a structure and places a sign on the top of a long piece that reads: “Be careful, don’t break this part.” The next day a group of children take the long piece for their structure. The child who wrote the sign says, “That is not fair.” This provides the class with an opportunity, as the children who took the piece did not see the sign. It was an ethical dilemma that they could think about together as a class.

Responding
The educators notice and listen carefully to children’s questions and concerns. They rethink the learning environment to ensure that they are creating an atmosphere free from bias and built on mutual respect.

The educators engage the children in a whole-class conversation about “fairness”. By listening and asking probing questions, they try to discover the children’s perspectives on fairness/unfairness and bias. They document the discussions for further reflection.

Challenging
“What does it mean to be fair?”
“Is it important that things are fair? Why do you think that?”
“What can you do if you or someone else is being treated unfairly?”

Extending
Based on their documentation, the educators decide to provoke further discussion about “fairness/unfairness/bias” by introducing the concept of “stereotyping”. They decide to start with some books and pictures, along with some of the children’s comments from earlier discussions.

28.1
recognize people in their community and talk about what they do (e.g., farmer, park ranger, police officer, nurse, Indigenous healer, store clerk, engineer, baker)

28.2
recognize places and buildings within their community, both natural and human-made, and talk about their functions (e.g., farm, church, hospital, mosque, sweat lodge, arena, mine, cave)

28.3
develop an awareness of ways in which people adapt to the places in which they live (e.g., children in cities may live in high-rise buildings and use sidewalks and the subway; children in the country may take the bus to school)

“I was in the hospital to get my broken arm fixed.”
“We made a list of all the different kinds of places kids in our class live in.”
“We like to go to different parks to play.”
“I like to go to the library. I have some friends there.”

Doing
Two children work with the blocks to create a bake shop. One of the children, whose uncle owns a bakery, explains what materials are needed.

Representing
Children in a small group use a variety of materials to construct a model of a building in their community that has significance for them.
Some children take turns bringing their “snow machines” into the “garage” for repairs.

Responding
In preparing the children for a neighbourhood walk or a walk around the school building, the educators ask the children what they think they might see along the way. The predictions are recorded. The educators then invite the children to record what they actually see on the walk, using a variety of ways (e.g., lists, photos, drawings).

Challenging
After the neighbourhood walk, the educators discuss the findings with the children, using prompts such as:
“Why do children at our school take a school bus to and from school each day?”
“Some of the children in our class live with their families in high-rise apartment buildings. Do people who live in the country live in apartments? Why or why not?”

Extending
The educators use their class blog to share the children’s findings with similar classes in neighbourhoods that are different from theirs. They support the children in comparing and contrasting the various neighbourhoods.

29.1
identify similarities and differences between local environments (e.g., between a park and a pond, between a schoolyard and a field)

29.2
describe what would happen if something in the local environment changed (e.g., if trees in the park were cut down, if the pond dried up, if native flowers were planted in the school garden)

29.3
identify ways in which they can care for and show respect for the environment (e.g., feeding the birds in winter, reusing and recycling, turning off unnecessary lights at home, walking to school instead of getting a ride)

29.4
participate in environmentally friendly experiences in the classroom and the schoolyard (e.g., plant and tend to plants; use local products for snack time; properly sort recycling)

Saying
“The slide at my park is different than the one here at school.”
“We saw some dead fish at the pond. We think it is because the water is almost gone.”

Doing
A child from the northern part of the province draws a picture of the place she came from. On the other side she draws the city in which she now lives. She explains how the two places are different and how they are the same.
A small group of children decide to try to predict what will happen to snow when it is taken inside, and share their learning with the other children:
“I agree – I think it is going to melt.”
“Let’s take a picture of it melting.”

Representing
The children, as a class, make a book to record, in pictures and text, what their schoolyard looked like before and after the school council planted trees and shrubs. Children show pictorially which shrubs, plants, and trees in the schoolyard attract birds. After thinking about the best strategy for keeping track of the number of birds, they decide to count the birds using a tally.

Responding
“What else is the same about your backyard and the schoolyard? What is different?”
“I notice that you are remembering to put your orange rinds and banana peels in our class composter.”
“We’ll be able to use the compost when the new shrubs are planted.”

Challenging
In order to involve the children in the school’s energy-saving initiative, an educator invites the children to make signs or labels that will remind them to turn out the lights when they are the last to leave a room.
“What would happen if there were more … (trees, birds, parks, etc.)?”

Extending
The children are concerned about the amount of garbage around the school. They write a letter to the school and read it over the public address system. They decide to invite the school caretaker in to make a plan about how they can work together to help the whole school keep the schoolyard free from garbage and think more about recycling and reducing the amount of trash. They decide to illustrate the effect of their initiative by creating a graph that shows the amount by which the school has reduced waste. Partnering with the caretaker not only brings new perspectives, it also keeps the children aware of health and safety matters (e.g., the need to wear gloves, and to avoid touching needles or animal waste) while they are making their contributions (e.g., picking up trash and sorting it for the recycling bin or the garbage bin).

30.1
demonstrate an awareness of personal interests and a sense of accomplishment in drama and dance (e.g., contribute their own ideas to role playing; create their own actions to accompany a song or chant and/or follow actions created by a classmate); in music (e.g., contribute their own ideas to a class song); and in visual arts (e.g., create a sculpture from clay)

30.2
explore a variety of tools, materials, and processes  of their own choice (e.g., blocks, puppets, flashlights, streamers, castanets, rhythm sticks, natural and recycled materials) to create drama, dance, music, and visual art forms in familiar and new ways

Saying
“My baby is crying. I’m going to sing her to sleep.”
“I’m going to be an elephant. See how my trunk moves?”
“I like how you made that bridge. Can you show me how to do it?”
“I used to make people like that. Now I make them this way.”

Doing
The children use a flashlight and puppets and invite others to watch them perform a play in the shadow play area they have set up with the support of the educators.
Two children work together at the computer using simple music software to create and record a song.

Representing
A child uses drawings to recount a class trip to the grocery store.
Children use shakers that they have made in a learning area to keep the beat of a familiar song.

Responding
“You were pretending to be a dad. I can see your baby likes lullabies.”
“You were listening and watching. I could see you trying to figure out how to make your bridge open up like Jack’s.”

Challenging
“You have so many creative ways to make the puppets move in the shadow play area. What happens when you use your hands for puppets instead? What’s the same? What’s different? What do you think makes that happen?”

Extending
An educator works with individual children to help them select and use props to enhance their dance movements.

31.1
explore different elements of drama (e.g., character, setting, dramatic structure) and dance (e.g., rhythm, space, shape)

Saying
“I’ll be the bus driver.”
“I can drum dance.”
“I was a leaf falling. I started up high, then I spun around, then I fell on the ground.”

Doing
A group of children discuss the characters and the setting for the story: “I’ll be the dragon. I'll make an angry face and voice. I’ll stand under this and we can use the orange scarf for fire.”

Representing
A child uses scarves to show how the wind moves on a windy day.

Responding
“What happened first? Next? At the end?”
“How many different ways can you move in your space?”
“Let’s move like the elephants in the story.”

Challenging
An educator uses natural materials – pine cones, twigs, a scrap of fabric – to tell a familiar story. Some of the children use the props in a small group to retell and innovate on the story.

Extending
“If you were a tiny seed planted in the ground, show us how you would grow when the sun came out. Talk about why you chose to move this way.”

31.2
explore different elements (e.g., beat, sound quality, speed, volume) of music (e.g., clap the beat of a song; tap their feet on carpet and then on tile, and compare the sounds; experiment with different instruments to accompany a song)

Saying
“That’s a drum. It made a loud boom.”
“This song keeps getting faster.”
“I’m keeping the beat with my foot.”

Doing
During their explorations, children discover that a wooden block makes a sound when it hits the floor. They decide to explore further and drop the block on the carpet and then onto another block.

Representing
A child uses computer software to add sound effects to a story she is writing.

Responding
“What different kinds of sounds can we make with the instruments?”
“What instruments could we use to make a sound like horses’ hooves?”
“I wonder what this song would sound like if we sang it faster and softer.”
“I wonder why the singer sang the last verse quickly.”

Challenging
“Use the symbols we have created to show the beats and rests in your favourite song.”

Extending
To reinforce patterning concepts, a member of the educator team asks the children to identify patterns in the words, melody, beat, and rhythm of familiar songs and poems that have been printed on chart paper and hung around the room.

31.3
explore different elements of design (e.g., colour, line, shape, texture, form) in visual arts

See the Professional Learning Conversation following the chart.

Doing
After looking at a book whose illustrations were done in clay, a child works in the modelling area using tools and equipment from various other areas in the classroom to replicate the textures in the book’s illustrations.

Representing
Children use a variety of materials (different kinds of paper, fabrics of various colours and textures, found materials) to make a collage.

Responding
“I noticed the different kinds of lines you made in your drawing.”
Educator team members ask clarifying questions about works of art produced by the children in order to better understand how to support them and move them forward:
“Why did you … (use yellow circles for the apples; make the puppet’s hair out of string)?”
“What were you thinking about? What were you feeling?”

Challenging
After observing the paintings done by the children, educator team members change the materials available. They replace the large paint brushes with medium- and small-sized brushes and add a variety of small paint rollers with different textures. They also provide small containers in which the children can explore colour mixing.

Extending
“How could you show that the car in your drawing is moving fast?”
“You used many different textures in your collage. How could you use recycled or natural materials to get a different effect?”